Obesity has become a serious health concern throughout the Gulf region. The United Nations notes that nearby Kuwait has the highest proportion of obese residents in the area at 42.8 percent, with Saudi Arabia ranking second at 35.2 percent.

Among the contributors to the obesity epidemic are a growth in fast-food chains, the growing popularity of cheap, processed foods in supermarkets, and a more sedentary lifestyle, Al Arabiya said. It quoted endocrinologist Dr. Saf Naqvi as saying both genetic and lifestyle choices play a role in the rising rates of Type II diabetes.

“No one really knows yet what causes diabetes, but genetic factors, weight, lifestyle, environment, and viruses may have a part to play,” he said. “A more sedentary lifestyle and bad eating habits have been cited as the main causes of the increasing prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in the UAE.”

Saudi women, meanwhile, tend to suffer from obesity at higher rates, in part because they are expected to be in the home. A 2011 Gallup poll found that 16 percent of Saudi women exercised at least 30 minutes three times a week. The rate for Saudi men was 27 percent.